Can you help identify Leeds River Aire oil spill?

The Agency believe the pollution entered Wykebeck yesterday morning (April 5) and has affected a 10 kilometre stretch of the River Aire as far as Castleford.

Its officers are investigating potential sources and the extent of the impact.

They have notified a number of downstream abstractors that may be affected by the pollution, including Fairburn Ings RSPB reserve.

The Agency say there have been no reports of impact to wildlife or fish.

Mark West, from The Environment Agency, said: “We’re asking homeowners and particularly businesses who use large quantities of diesel or oil to check their on-site storage for leaks and report any significant spillages they may have had.

“We’re working to identify the source of the oil as soon as possible so that we can take measures to stop the pollution”.

If anyone has any information about where the oil might be coming from, we would urge them to contact the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.